The Dragon's Dungeon
by BeyondTheClouds777
Summary: Lucy and the rest of Fairy Tail infiltrate a Dark Guild to save Natsu, who was captured while taking a solo job with Happy. (NaLu)
1. Chapter 1

**Title: The Dragon's Dungeon**

 **Summary: Lucy and the rest of Fairy Tail infiltrate a Dark Guild to save Natsu, who was captured while taking a solo job with Happy.**

* * *

The dungeon was like a one-way labyrinth, winding and long with no end in sight. Lucy ran as fast as her legs could carry her down the long, stone passageway, torch in one hand and keys in the other.

The only light was that of her torch. The ceiling was low and arched, made entirely from stone, just like the walls and floor. Every now and then, Lucy would pass a cell, gouged from one of the dungeon's walls, and when she did, she would inspect the cell for all it was worth.

So far, she'd found nothing. Only rotting bones and scurrying rats.

"Come on," Lucy murmured to herself, gritting her teeth as she ran all the more fast down the narrow tunnel, having once again found an empty cell. The doors and bars were rusty, and a musky, dank smell hung in the air; if Lucy didn't know better, she'd say no one had been down here in centuries.

But she knew better.

"Natsu, where are you!?" she shouted down the corridor, hoping for a response, but her echo was the only answer she received. She waited a bit, listening for any kind of reply Natsu might shout back, before calling again. "Natsu, if you can hear me, I need you to say something!"

The chances of him hearing her without replying were slim, but they were there. She refused to lose hope; she was just too stubborn for that. Her friends wouldn't give up, and she wouldn't, either. They were counting on her to find Natsu while they kept the enemy distracted. She wasn't going to let them or Natsu down.

"Natsu!" Lucy shouted once more, the keys in her hand jingling as she ran. The keys she held weren't her Celestial Gate keys; no, those keys were still hooked onto her belt. The keys she currently held had belonged to one of the dungeon's guards, and they had been snatched away by Lucy on her way in the dungeon (something Lucy would brag about in any other situation).

She only hoped that, whatever cell Natsu was in, one of the keys opened it.

Lucy kept running, checking cell after cell by the light of her torch, getting more and more frantic by the second. Thoughts flooded her mind: _What if Natsu's not even in this dungeon? What if they're keeping him somewhere else? What if they knew we were going to attack them? What if they killed-_

She forced _that_ train of thought off the rails right around the same time she peered into the next closest cell.

She gasped in shock, nearly dropping her torch.

" _NATSU!"_

She'd finally found his cell, but the scene that laid before her was one she would never be able to unsee.

She'd found Natsu alright, and it wasn't how she'd hoped to find him. He seemed unconscious _(Please just let him be unconscious)_ , forced to stay on his feet by shackles which bound his hands to the wall on either side of his head. His usually bright pink hair was covered in grime and what looked like dry blood, as was the rest of him. His clothes were tattered, and if Lucy didn't see the feeble rise and fall of his chest, she would have thought he was dead.

"Natsu!" Lucy screamed again, and this time, she _did_ drop her torch, though by some miracle it stayed lit once it hit the ground. Instantly, Lucy was fumbling with the keys in her hand, filled with a new sense of purpose. She tried one of the keys, jamming it into the rusty lock of the cell.

The lock didn't budge.

"I don't have time for this!" Lucy shouted at the keys, picking a second at random and trying it out on the lock. Just like before, the key didn't turn.

"Natsu, just hang in there!" Lucy begged, even though she knew he couldn't hear her, and she tried a third key. Nothing. A fourth key. Still nothing. With only one remaining key, luck was not in her favor.

Heck. When was luck _ever_ in her favor?

"C'mon, c'mon, please, let this one work," Lucy said, pushing the key into the lock, praying this final key would somehow be the right one.

It wasn't.

"SCREW IT!" Lucy shouted, throwing the keys onto the ground with more force than necessary, and she pulled her Celestial whip from her belt, cracking it against the air.

Keys were great and all, but when it came down to it, kicking the fricking door down was just as effective.

"YAAAAAAH!" Lucy screamed, and she swung her whip with all her might at the cell's rusting lock. It took more than one hit (three, to be precise), but the lock finally gave way and snapped, leaving the cell's door to swing open.

Lucy didn't waste any more time. She grabbed the keys again (just in case they unlocked Natsu's shackles), sheathed her whip, and raced inside.

She did her best not to look at her best friend as she tried the keys on the first shackle. She considered using her whip again on the shackles' locks, but she didn't want to risk accidentally hitting Natsu in the process.

This time (blessedly), one of the keys worked, and the shackle came undone. Lucy couldn't help but notice the skin of Natsu's wrist was rubbed raw from the friction of the shackles against his skin. She wondered, tasting bile in the back of her throat, just how long he'd been like this.

She went to work on the second shackle, and once again, the keys saw her through. As soon as the shackles were off, Natsu slumped forward, and Lucy surged forward to catch him before he face-planted the ground, holding him up so his head rested on her shoulder, her arms hooked underneath his.

He was ligher than she remembered. She'd dragged him around a lot on missions, specifically when he was motion sick and could barely move himself, but this...this was _wrong_. He'd never been completely _limp_ like this before. It was unsettling, unreal, almost as though he really _were_ dead…

 _Stop it, Lucy_ , Lucy snapped at herself. _Don't you dare._

Putting it out of her mind, she sank to her knees, still supporting Natsu entirely; lighter than she remembered or not, she still wasn't strong enough to hold him up for more than a few moments.

She pulled away, taking his face in her hands and staring at his closed eyes, her stomach twisting in worry. "Hey, Natsu," Lucy said, whispering just in case any foes were nearby. "Natsu, I need you to wake up."

His skin was freezing against her palms. It terrified her. His brand of fire magic usually kept his body heat far above the norm. She'd never seen him _cold_ before, let alone _this_ cold.

"Come on, don't do this to me, Natsu," she pleaded when her efforts were in vain. "Talk to me, _please_. I need to know you're okay."

And then, remarkably, he opened his eyes. Just barely, granted, but it meant he was conscious now, and Lucy's hopes soared. Natsu looked at her blearily, blinking against the dim light of the torch. Lucy wondered, how long had it been since Natsu last saw any kind of light? Just how long had the enemy kept him in the darkness?

"Lucy…?" Natsu rasped, sounding confused; he didn't quite meet her eyes, staring into the empty space of air just beside her. "What're you doing here…?"

Lucy gently turned his head to look in her direction, smiling softly. "We're busting you out," she said. "Everyone else is above ground fighting. They're just waiting for me and you now."

Natsu blinked again, and then shut his eyes with a small, exhausted smile, his head lolling forward and falling against Lucy's shoulder again. "...I knew you'd come for me," he murmured. "Never doubted you for a second."

"Duh," Lucy replied, also smiling. She turned her head, looking over her shoulder at the long, winding tunnel from whence she had come. "Hey, Natsu," she said, turning back to him, "I hate to say it, but we've gotta move. Think you can stand?"

"Probably," Natsu said tiredly, nodding against her shoulder. "But...one problem…"

"What?" asked Lucy quickly. "What problem?"

Natsu held up two fingers. "Actually, two problems," he refrained. "My ankle. It's...shackled…"

"That's not a problem," Lucy told him, looking over his shoulder to see what he meant. There was one final shackle she hadn't noticed before, clamped around his left ankle. Lucy had no doubt one of the keys would unlock it no problem, and if it didn't, she always had her ace in the hole - her Celestial whip.

"What's the second problem, Natsu?"

Natsu swallowed and sighed. "My leg," he said. "They broke it."

Lucy froze. "They...they _what?"_

"So I couldn't run," Natsu clarified, but he really didn't need to; actually, Lucy wished he hadn't. The gravity of the situation caught up with her, and she wrapped her arms around her friend tightly, tears burning her eyes.

"How could they do this?" she whispered, but the question was rhetorical. All the same, she didn't understand how wizards - wizards, humans, people, just like her and Natsu - could be so cruel. She didn't understand. _How_ could someone be _this_ heartless?

"Luce...it's okay-"

"No it's _not_ ," Lucy snapped, shutting him up. "They captured you for no good reason, and they _hurt_ you-"

"Luc-"

"They _chained_ you like you were an _animal_ -"

"Lucy, I know." He pulled back, steadying himself with one hand on her shoulder, staring into her teary eyes. "I _know_. It's wrong, but it doesn't matter right now. We'll deal with it later, okay?"

Lucy swallowed back the lump in her throat and scrubbed at her eyes with the heels of her hands. "You're right," she said, putting aside her anger for the time being. "We need to get out of here first."

She rose to her feet, leaned Natsu against the cell's wall so he didn't fall over, and got to work. The keys pulled through once again, unlocking the third and final shackle. This time, Lucy noticed a strange engravement on the shackle, and realized that the metal had been infused with anti-magic particles, which explained why Natsu hadn't broken out sooner.

"There," Lucy said, throwing the shackle aside with disgust. "The shackles were infused with anti-magic particles. You should be feeling a little better now that they're off, Natsu."

Natsu nodded, eyes closed. Satisfied, Lucy moved on to the second problem: his leg. She was going to ask which leg was broken, but in the end, it was obvious. His left leg - the same one that had been shackled - rested at a bizarre angle.

Lucy was just glad she hadn't had to use her Celestial whip on the shackle. His leg probably pained him enough on its own without her swinging a whip at it.

She tore off a long strip of her skirt and carefully began winding it around Natsu's leg. Natsu tensed and winced immediately, gritting his teeth in pain.

"I'm sorry," Lucy said, not meeting his eyes, focused on the task at hand. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"S'okay," Natsu said, but his voice was much weaker now. "Just...do what you gotta do. I trust you."

Lucy sniffed and nodded. It took only another minute for her to finish wrapping her makeshift bandage around his leg, and as soon as she was done, she sat back, wiping sweat (and a few stray tears) off her face.

"That should do it for now," said Lucy, "but it's a bad break. We need to get you to Wendy so she can heal you."

Natsu nodded. Lucy couldn't help but notice that now, any trace of color was drained from his face, and his breath was labored and heavy, sweat trailing down his face. Lucy bit her lip, hating herself for causing her friend pain.

"Thanks, Lucy," said Natsu weakly.

Lucy shook her head. "You don't need to thank me," she said, kneeling beside him and taking his arm. "Save your strength. It's time to move."

"Such joy," Natsu said, raising one fist to punch the air. "Woooooo."

"Yeah," Lucy said, and she pulled his arm around her neck, hooking her other around his waist. "Ready?" she inquired, and once he'd nodded, she hoisted him onto his feet, letting him lean most of his bodyweight on her. Then, after grabbing the torch in her free hand, Lucy and Natsu began the long, slow journey back up the tunnels, out of the dungeon.

"It'll be okay, Natsu," Lucy whispered, pulling him closer to her side when he swayed. Right now, the look he had on his face could be fairly compared to that of a sick puppy. It pained her.

They walked on a little further. Lucy's joints and muscles began aching, but she didn't say anything, nor did she stop. If Natsu were in her place and she were in his, she knew he wouldn't give up, and that meant she wouldn't, either.

Without warning, Natsu stopped, digging his heel into the ground. Before, he had been dragging his feet trying to help Lucy in any way he could, but now, he stopped any movement entirely. "Wait," he said, voice suddenly firm, and Lucy, too, halted dead in her tracks.

"What is it?" Lucy asked urgently, surprised by his sudden behavior. "What's wrong?"

Natsu looked around for a moment or two, suddenly very alert (though his eyes still held a dazed, glassy look). "Someone's coming," Natsu said, looking down into the dark hallway that laid ahead.

Lucy jerked her head to follow his gaze, knowing better than to question him. Disoriented or not, his dragon-like senses were always top notch. "Who's coming?" she asked instead.

"...Not a friend, that's for sure," Natsu answered. "They smell like…" He froze suddenly. "Oh crap."

"What? Oh crap _what?"_ Lucy pleaded.

"Soldiers," Natsu said. "Same guys who threw me in the cell in the first place. Keepers of the dungeon. They must have figured out you guys came to get me."

Lucy groaned loudly. "Can't we ever catch a break?" she moaned. Now that she listened closely, she heard distant sounds of clanking metal, approaching from the tunnel ahead.

It would only be a matter of time before they were overwhelmed.

"Okay, Natsu," Lucy said, springing into action, moving aside and letting him lean against the wall instead of her, "I need you to stay put. Hold this." She pressed the torch's handle into his hands, and he blinked at the fire dazedly.

Satisfied, Lucy turned back so she faced the tunnel ahead, one hand reaching for her whip while her other reached for her Celestial keys.

"Lucy, wait," Natsu said; although a bit slow on the uptake, he finally realized what she was planning to do. "I can help you fight these guys off-"

"No," replied Lucy firmly, gripping her whip tighter. "You've always protecting me, Natsu. It's high time I protect you. I can handle it."

Natsu swallowed heavily. "...Okay," he said reluctantly, "but...if it looks like you need help, don't expect me to hang back."

"Don't worry," Lucy said, smirking, her confidence rising. "I won't let you down."

She waited, whip and keys at the ready. Natsu was counting on her. She had something to fight for. This was one fight she wasn't going to lose.

She saw the light of a torch up ahead, and she picked a battle stance, ready to go. The light of the approaching soldiers grew brighter, and brighter, until she could make out the silver masks and armor of the assailing enemies.

"Go time," Lucy said with a smug grin, and she raised one of her Celestial keys into the air. "OPEN, GATE OF THE-"

Something knocked into her side, pushing her out of the way and cutting her off mid-summoning. With an indignant yelp, she smacked her hip against the wall, her keys flying out of her grip.

She spun around, staring at the space she had occupied just a moment before.

"Natsu! I told you to butt out!" Lucy snarled. "What are you doing!?"

Natsu held one hand out to her, his other still clenched around the handle of the torch. Lucy froze at the grave expression on his pale face. "I just remembered something," he said.

Before Lucy could even ask what he'd remembered, the light of the torch went out, leaving nothing but the light of the approaching soldiers.

And then…

" _FIRE DRAGON ROAR!"_ Natsu's shout echoed throughout the entire corridor, and a huge wave of orange and red flames soon followed, moving through the tunnel, racing towards the soldiers.

Lucy reached up to shield her face from the heat, barely able to remain standing. Now she knew why Natsu threw himself in front of her - if she hadn't been behind him, she, like the unfortunate soldiers, would have been caught in his flames.

But what she _didn't_ understand was why Natsu stopped her from using her Celestial keys in the first place.

When the dust settled and the fire went out, nothing remained but soot-covered stone and the smoking armor of the soldiers, who now laid unconscious. Their torches sill burned as brightly as ever, and through that light, Lucy was able to see.

She moved, snatching her Celestial keys off the ground and hooking them to her belt before rounding Natsu and grabbing him by the shoulders, shaking him roughly. "Natsu!" she began furiously. "What were you-!?"

She stopped, her anger vanishing as though it'd never existed. If he'd looked bad before, he looked absolutely horrible now. His eyes were foggy, and his breath came in heaving gasps. His cheeks were now flushed an unhealthy shade of red, the rest of his face washed out by a sickly, chalky white.

"The air...these tunnels…" Natsu panted. "Magic...no good…" His voice trailed off, and he collapsed to his knees with an exhausted sigh.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried, kneeling down in front of him and taking his shoulders again. "Are you okay!? Talk to me!"

"M'okay," Natsu slurred, cracking his eyes open just enough to look at her. "Just dizzy. The air in here...it's rigged."

" _Rigged?"_ That was a strange choice of words. "What do you mean it's _rigged?"_

Natsu nodded, his eyes sliding shut again. "It's...it's laced with some sort of...anti-magic toxin," he said between long gasps of breath. "If you...use magic...while breathing it in...it saps up your strength…makes you sick for a while..."

The instant he finished speaking, it clicked in Lucy's mind. "And you…" she started. "You kept me from using magic because of that?"

A nod from Natsu was all the confirmation she needed. "But I can take care of myself without magic," Lucy insisted, but even as she said it, she knew it wasn't true. "You should have let me handle it. Look what you've done to yourself…"

"They had swords, Lucy," Natsu told her with a sigh. "Weapons. Armor. You wouldn't...have stood a chance…" He stopped mid-sentence, clutching his chest with a pained groan.

"Natus!" Lucy cried for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

"It's fine," Natsu said weakly. "This isn't the first time...this has happened to me."

Lucy watched him uncertainly, not sure if she believed him or not. "Natsu…"

"Just...just give me a few minutes, Luce," Natsu said breathlessly. "I'll be okay, I just...I...I really don't think I can move anymore."

"Alright," Lucy said, but her worry wasn't soothed. "I'll let you rest, but we have to keep moving soon. If more soldiers come…"

"We're dead...gotcha...dying no good…"

"Yeah, definitely not."

There was a beat of silence.

"...Hey, Natsu...what happened to our torch?"

"I ate it."

"...Makes sense."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **This was originally supposed to be a one-shot, but when I got over 3,000 words with no near end in sight, I decided it'd be best to split it into multiple chapters, that way I can make it longer if I have another idea.**

 **Right now, I can't see this going over three chapters, but if you guys have any suggestions for this story, feel free to give them to me. I have it pretty much planned out, but it's always fun to spice it up sometimes, right? :)**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading! I hope you guys liked this. Let me know what you think; the more constructive advice/reviews/suggestions I get, the faster I write. :) I don't know when this will be updated, but I promise it won't be more than a week. I have Thanksgiving break until next Monday, so I've got time to write. :)**

 **Speaking of which, happy Thanksgiving! And if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving...well...um...happy random Thursday! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you all SO SO SO SO SO SO SO much for your reviews last chapter! I was grinning so madly while reading them, I'm telling you. :D Oh, and I just finished Fairy Tail (anime)! YAYYYYYY! :D :D :D Now I'm gonna catch up with the manga before the show starts airing again! :D Yay! :D I love this show so much; I can't wait for it to come back! :D**

 **Anyways, this chapter is a bit shorter than the last one, but if all goes as planned, the next chapter (and most likely the final chapter) will be longer than this. But then again, I shouldn't make any promises, considering how sporadic and crazy I can be when it comes to writing. :)**

 **Again, thank you all SO much for your reviews! You don't know how much your support means to me! :D Without further adieu, onto chapter 2! :D**

* * *

 **Title: The Dragon's Dungeon**

 **Summary: Lucy and the rest of Fairy Tail infiltrate a Dark Guild to save Natsu, who was captured while taking a solo job with Happy.**

* * *

About five minutes later found Lucy sitting, leaning her back against the wall, keeping guard by the light of one of the soldier's torches. Sitting beside her was Natsu, dead to the world, his heavy head taking residence on her shoulder. He was _out_. She doubted an entire _stampede_ of soldiers would be enough to wake him now.

Lucy watched him with concern, desperately praying that no other soldiers would head down these tunnels, because Lucy knew there was no way Natsu would be ready to move if they did. And even if he _was,_ they would be surrounded by the soldiers in this one-way tunnel, and Lucy knew there was no way she could fight through them on her own.

"...I just really hope that was the last of them," Lucy whispered to herself, casting her gaze down the tunnel briefly before returning it to her unconscious friend. She smoothed back his sweat-damp hair, feeling his forehead.

Fever.

She sighed heavily. "Why are you always doing this to yourself, Natsu?" she asked him pointlessly, absentmindedly stroking his hair. "You know we don't always need you to protect us, and yet…"

His willingness to throw his own life on the line to protect his friends was almost...terrifying, actually. Yes, it was terrifying how willing he was to put himself in harm's way to save the people he cared about, even when they didn't need saving.

But on the other hand...it was endearing.

She smiled softly, resting her head against his. "What am I going to do with you?" she murmured, closing her eyes.

Despite the looming danger that lurked all about them, Lucy still found herself in a state of calm and peace. Finding Natsu alive had taken a large weight off her chest.

Roughly three weeks ago, Happy had charged into Fairy Tail, his wings (and consciousness) disappearing as soon as he arrived; his magic power had entirely run out. When the Exceed finally regained consciousness, he'd told them that he'd left Natsu in the heat of battle to return to Fairy Tail for reinforcements.

The cat had been devastated. From the moment he'd gotten to Fairy Tail up to the minute they'd left on Natsu's rescue mission, Happy hadn't stopped blaming himself.

"I should have stayed with him!" Happy had sobbed, burying his face in his paws. "I know h-he told me to leave, but I d-didn't have to listen to him! He needed me and I-I left him!"

"He was protecting you," Lucy had replied, trying to comfort her small friend as best she could. "You know he wouldn't have forgiven himself if he let something happen to you. You know how he is. Stop blaming yourself. We're going to save Natsu."

After weeks of searching and following any clues Happy could give them, they'd finally tracked down the cultripes; a guild full of infamous wizards with an enormous grudge against Fairy Tail.

While the rest of Fairy Tail took the soldiers above ground, Lucy had been given the solemn duty of going underground, into the dungeons to locate and free Natsu.

But those three weeks of _not_ knowing where he was or whether or not he was alright were excruciating. Lucy and the rest of the guild could hardly bare it.

"I'm just really glad you're alive, Natsu," Lucy said, and she sighed. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't imagine a world without the cheerful, transportation-sick Dragon Slayer. It wouldn't be the same.

Even so, the longer they sat there in the torch-lit tunnel, the more wary Lucy became. She feared that, any moment, soldiers would leap out of the shadows and attack her when she was least expecting it.

Finally, after what she imagined was at least half an hour, Lucy could stand it no longer. She gently shook Natsu's shoulder, hoping he'd regained enough strength to stand. "Hey, Natsu," she whispered, "I hate doing this, but if you're ready, we have to move now."

Natsu's eyes flickered open, and he looked up to meet her gaze, dark rings beneath his eyes. Lucy bit her lip; he _really_ didn't look good…

"...Y-Yeah, I think I'm good now," Natsu said, but he said it as though to convince himself. As much as Lucy wished she could let him rest, she knew they were as good as dead if the enemies found them in this state.

"Okay," Lucy agreed, pulling his arm around her neck again. "On three, alright? One...two...three."

She pulled him up, did her best not to jostle his broken leg, and they continued down the tunnel once more.

 _This stupid tunnel never ENDS_ … Lucy thought to herself. Man, if she thought the journey down the tunnel was a long, suspense-filled one, it looked like a walk in the part compared to the journey _up_ the tunnel. Every single little noise put her on edge, beit a drop of water falling from the ceiling to the floor, the crackling of their torch, or, heck, even her own _footsteps_.

This place was giving her serious hysteria and claustrophobia.

"How you doin', Natsu?" Lucy asked her partner after a while of walking.

It took him a long time before he answered. "...I'm seeing stars…"

Lucy frowned. That wasn't good.

"That's a good sign...right?" Natsu asked.

"No, that's usually not a good thing, Natsu," Lucy told him, pulling his arm further around her neck to keep him from falling.

"...Hey, Lucy...I'm dizzy…"

"I know," Lucy said, concerned again; she remembered the dry blood she'd seen crusting on his head earlier. She really should have checked for any head wounds while he was resting earlier. "We're almost there."

She waited, forcing herself onwards, until she realized Natsu's weight against her was slowly getting heavier. "Hey, are you falling asleep on me?"

Natsu's eyes snapped open. "No."

It didn't take a genius to realize he was lying. "It's okay," Lucy said understandingly, "I know you're exhausted, but we've gotta get clear of this tunnel first before you can sleep, alright?"

Natsu looked down with a small nod, struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Just keep talking to me, alright?" Lucy prompted. "If you're talking, it won't be nearly as easy to fall asleep. It doesn't have to be anything special, just small talk, you know?"

Natsu nodded. "M'kay...d-do you come here often?"

Lucy groaned and sighed simultaneously. "An entire world of small talk and you come up with _that?"_

"...Sorry…"

"Don't worry about it." A beat. "And just so we're clear, I do _not_ come here often."

Natsu laughed hoarsely, but it turned into painful-sounding dry coughs. Lucy halted for a moment, let him catch his breath, and then, they kept on down the tunnel.

"...Hey, Natsu," Lucy said after a while of walking in silence, "these guys who kidnapped you, what did they want? I mean, it's obvious they're mad at Fairy Tail for some reason, but...I don't understand why. None of us do."

"It's...stupid," Natsu replied. "They're just some...idiots who were mad 'cause we won the Grand Magic Games. They'd been...cheering for Raven Tail."

Lucy stopped dead in her tracks, clenched her teeth and growled lowly. Natsu blinked, watching her uncertainly.

"...Lucy…?"

Lucy's hand around the torch tightened, her knuckles going white. "They went through all this," she said, "...No, made _you_ go through all this, because the team they were routing for _lost_."

"I said it was stupi-"

"It's not _stupid_ , Natsu. It's...it's…it's _wrong_." She didn't quite know what word she was looking for to describe it, but wrong sounded pretty accurate for the time being.

She was so filled with anger and hatred towards the guild who kidnapped her best friend she felt literally sick. How _dare_ they? The Dark Guild had _no right_ to hurt Natsu. No right to hurt _anybody_ , and yet…she couldn't believe it. How could people be so...so... _cruel_?

"Lucy, please don't cry."

She was startled out of her stupor by Natsu's low, gentle voice, and she realized after a moment that yes, she did have tears streaming down her cheeks. She hadn't thought it was possible to cry without being aware of it until now.

"I'm okay," said Lucy (she just hoped he wouldn't be able to tell she was lying). She reached up, brushing away her tears with shaking fingers. The look he gave her was full of disbelief; he wasn't buying her pitiful lie. "I really am okay, Natsu," Lucy insisted.

"...Okay, if you say so," said Natsu. "Just...please don't cry about this anymore, Lucy. I…" He looked away thoughtfully, trying to contemplate his emotions. "...I don't like it when you cry. It...it makes me feel sad, too."

Lucy sighed. "You're sweet, Natsu," she said, wiping away the last of her tears with resolve. "Okay, I won't cry anymore."

He smiled, weakly but honestly, and they continued on their way.

…

Unfortunately, they weren't able to make it very far.

"I'm sorry, Lucy," Natsu panted; he was sitting on the ground, leaning against the stone wall, holding their lit torch. Lucy knelt in front of him, lips pressed together, inspecting Natsu's head.

"It's alright," said Lucy, "don't apologize. I really should've checked on this sooner…" She'd found the source of the blood. A somewhat large gash, barely scabbed over, marked Natsu's hairline. She didn't know how she hadn't noticed it earlier.

"You've probably got a concussion, or at least a mild one," Lucy said, leaning back on the balls of her feet. "All this dragging you around probably hasn't helped…"

Natsu waved his hand briefly before letting it drop back to the ground at his side. "Don't worry 'bout it," he said. He looked down the dark passageway that lay ahead with a perplexed frown. "How long is this thing, anyway?"

"I don't know," Lucy admitted, following his gaze. "It took me a long time to get down this far, and I was running the whole way. We're barely _walking_ now."

Natsu glanced down at his leg, bounded by Lucy's makeshift bandage. "Sorry."

"I just said don't apologize," Lucy said sharply, and then she clicked her tongue, looking over Natsu's gash again. "What did they _do_ to you…?" she whispered under her breath.

She hadn't intended for Natsu to hear her, but he did. "Clubbed me, or somethin', I think," Natsu slurred. "M'not really sure. I think I sucker-punched one...made 'em angry...it's all really hazy."

 _I bet,_ thought Lucy, looking at the gash again. "Are you seeing double or anything?" she asked.

"Not now," answered Natsu, "but sometimes. When we're walking."

"You remember who you are, right?" Lucy asked, trying to determine just how badly banged up his head was. "Your name? Where we are? Who I am?"

Natsu frowned. "...Um, yeah," he said. And then, with such innocence she just couldn't be angry with him, "Do _you?"_

"Ack." She whacked him lightly on the shoulder, feigning offense. "Of course I do, idiot," she said. "I was just asking you to make sure your head isn't messed up."

"And...my head's _not_ messed up?"

 _Not from a concussion, at least_. "Yeah, you're fine," Lucy said.

Natsu blinked, and then leaned his head back against the wall, shutting his eyes. "I don't _feel_ fine."

"Yeah, probably not," Lucy said with a sigh. "Your life's not in danger is what I mean. Once we get you to Wendy, I'm sure you'll feel a lot better."

"Yeah...you're right…" He cracked his eyes open again, glancing down the corridor. "So...it's time to move again, right?"

Lucy nodded. "I really wish I could summon Capricorn or Taurus," she said dolefully, glancing down at the Celestial keys she couldn't use without draining her energy. "They could just carry you."

"Yeah...but no use gettin' upset about it," said Natsu. "It's not your fault. We'll make it. Don't worry."

Lucy smiled softly. "You're right," she said, slinging his arm over her shoulder again. "Ready?"

"Ready."


	3. Chapter 3

**This is it, guys! The final (and the longest, thankfully) chapter! :D I want to thank you all right now for all your support! I'm really glad you guys have enjoyed this story! :D Let me know if you catch any major errors in this chapter; I think I proof-read it pretty good, but at the same time, sometimes you need multiple pairs of eyes to catch everything. :)**

 **Thank you all sssooooooo much! I love you and I hope you enjoy the final chapter! :D**

* * *

 **Title: The Dragon's Dungeon**

 **Summary: Lucy and the rest of Fairy Tail infiltrate a Dark Guild to save Natsu, who was captured while taking a solo job with Happy.**

* * *

"Everythin's spinnin', Lucy," Natsu moaned miserably, swaying sideways; Lucy nearly toppled over from his sudden weight against her. "Spinnin'...like a merry-go-round…" He turned a pale shade of green and swallowed. "I don' like it," he slurred.

"Just close your eyes," Lucy instructed, forcing herself onwards, practically dragging her best friend beside her. "The room won't spin as much if you do."

Natsu nodded mutely, eyes sliding shut.

"Just don't fall asleep, alright?" Lucy told him as an afterthought. "I can't carry you."

"Got it," said Natsu quietly, but Lucy wasn't sure if he'd taken her words to heart. He was so disoriented it wouldn't have surprised her if he didn't hear her at all.

Either way, she kept walking. Every time she took a step, Natsu leaned against her more. He was either losing what strength he had left, or she was.

"We've got to be almost there," said Lucy under her breath, letting Natsu's head rest on her shoulder. "I think I feel a draft blowing this way…"

She really hoped it _was_ a draft and not her desperate mind thinking one up.

"Lucy…" Natsu said, his voice even quieter than it had been before, "I don't...I don't think I can…" His knees buckled, and Lucy tightened her grip on his arm and his waist before he could collapse.

"Natsu, come on, we're almost there," she pleaded, shaking him only slightly. "Just one more effort, that's all. You can do it." She pulled him up again, supporting more of his weight than ever, and quickened her pace. The sooner they got out of here, the better. Natsu was in serious need of some medical treatment.

He wasn't even trying to talk to her anymore, and she didn't push him to keep up a conversation. If he fell passed out on her now, well, she wouldn't blame him. He'd really strained himself this time; she was surprised he found the strength to remain conscious.

After what felt like another eternity (time passes rather slowly when one is dragging their semi-conscious friend through a long and nearly pitch-black tunnel), Lucy finally saw something up ahead.

An archway. The same archway Lucy had entered the dungeon from.

"Natsu, look!" Lucy cried, her face lighting up in a wild grin. "We made it!"

Natsu moaned a low, half-hearted, "Cool," and then fell silent again. Lucy didn't waste any more time. She picked up the pace again, longing to leave this murky, smelly prison. Beyond the archway, she saw a night sky and bright stars. She'd never been so happy to see the sky as she was now.

They were getting closer by the second. The cool, refreshing breeze blew stronger and stronger, until finally, _finally_ , at long last, Lucy and Natsu stepped out of the tunnel and into the fresh air.

They'de made it.

Lucy took a long, deep, relaxing breath, halting in her tracks and giving her aching legs a bit of a break. "We made it, Natsu," she said, squeezing Natsu in a somewhat side-hug.

"Yay…" Natsu rasped.

The peace and quiet didn't last long.

"NAAAATTSUUUUUU!"

Lucy nearly jumped out of her skin at the long shout, called by multiple voices. An instant later, Lucy realized that she recognized every single voice that had shouted, and her worry vanished.

A little over ten seconds later, Lucy and Natsu were surrounded by what appeared to be every single one of Fairy Tail's members, and each of them looked like they'd just come back from a battle - which, Lucy thought, they probably did. But despite that, each of them were smiling, their faces covered in both relief and joy.

Natsu perked up quite drastically at the sight of his friends, a faint but honest smile gracing his face. "...You guys…" he said softly. "You're...you're all here."

"Natsu!" Erza said suddenly, stepping forward with purpose. She pulled Natsu off of Lucy and yanked him into a firm but careful embrace. Natsu yipped at first, not expecting it, but then, he relaxed into the hug.

"I missed you guys…" Natsu said quietly.

"Oy, Flames-For-Brains!"

"I'll beat you up later, Gray," Natsu muttered.

Gray stepped up beside Erza and Natsu, half-naked and scowl owning his face. However, the scowl was half-hearted, and Lucy could see relief hidden behind the hard expression.

"I'm glad you're alright, Natsu," Gray said.

"I'm glad I'm alright too, Frost Butt," Natsu said back, but even his jeer was not without mirth.

"We were so worried about you!" Mirajane gushed, moving forward with Lisanna and Wendy running in her wake. Erza pulled away from Natsu, letting Mira, Lisanna, and Wendy take her place.

"The guild's never the same without you," Wendy said.

"NATSU!"

Lucy raised her head, as did Natsu, and they watched as a tiny blur of blue shot through the sky and pummeled Natsu in the chest. Natsu stumbled just slightly, but quickly regained his balance, smiling softly.

"Hey, Happy…"

The Exceed, in response, let out a wailing sob and hugged Natsu around the neck. "I-I-I'm so sorry I left you!" Happy cried. "I-I should h-have stayed and h-helped you!"

"It's okay, lil' buddy," Natsu said, scratching Happy behind the ears. "If you hadn't left and gotten help when you did, I'd still be in that dungeon."

When Happy finally calmed down, each of Fairy Tail's members took turns, greeting the precious part of their _nakama_ that had been missing for what seemed like forever. Lucy smiled, folding her hands together, warmth flooding her heart. After all those weeks of aimless searching, they had finally done it. They'd found Natsu, and though he was injured and exhausted, he wasn't beyond medical treatment.

It was going to be okay. Everything was going to be okay now.

"I'm glad…" Natsu whispered, smiling, but Lucy noticed that his eyes were a lot glassier than they'd been before, and he swayed slightly on his feet. Without warning, his eyes rolled up in his head, and he fell forward.

"Natsu!" Erza, Lucy and Gray shouted in unison, and Gray and Erza surged forward, catching the dragon slayer just before he hit the ground.

"He's really disoriented and tired right now," Lucy told the now frantic members of her guild, kneeling by her friend's side as Erza ran her hand over Natsu's ribs, searching for broken bones; Gray bit his lip, trying not to look as worried as he felt. "His leg's broken," Lucy went on, "and I think he might have some sort of concussion, but, I think he's okay otherwise…"

"Oh, I should have started healing him earlier!" Wendy cried, throwing herself down, letting her hands hover over Natsu's unmoving form. "Sorry, I just got caught up…" She closed her eyes, concentrated, and her hands began glowing a light shade of aquamarine.

"This should make the ride home a little easier on him," said Wendy. Lucy shifted her gaze from the young girl to Natsu and quickly noticed a change in the latter's breathing. Instead of being short and labored as it had been before, his breaths now came in easily and evenly.

Lucy sighed in relief. "What spell are you using?" she asked Wendy as an afterthought.

"Just something to keep him sleeping until I can heal the rest of his injuries," Wendy answered. "And it should counter his motion sickness on the ride home as well."

Lucy nodded; she and the rest of Fairy Tail had arrived via two ships, as the Dark Guild was located on an island west of Magnolia. Boat rides were hard enough on Natsu on his _best_ days, let alone when he was in this state.

"Elfman, can you please take Natsu to one of the ships?" Wendy inquired softly, once the glow faded from her hands, the spell completed.

Elfman nodded and stepped forward, scooping Natsu into his arms like he was a damsel in distress. Wendy rose to her feet, dusted herself off, and she followed Elfman towards the shore with numerous other Fairy Tail members in tow.

Lucy, however, stayed behind. She got to her feet and watched, a lump forming in her throat.

"You did good, Lucy," said Erza, coming to stand beside her blonde friend. "We were just about to go in the dungeon after you, but there was no need. I knew we could count on you."

"Yeah, it took a lot longer than I thought it would, though," Lucy said, ducking her head, rubbing her arm absentmindedly.

Erza watched her carefully. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Lucy answered, "it's just…" She raised her head, watching as Elfman carried the unconscious Natsu away. Natsu looked so much younger in this state, and much more helpless. He was still unbelievably pale, dry blood crusted on his forehead, and he was entirely limp in Elfman's arms.

"...It's hard," Lucy said quietly, "...seeing him like this…"

Erza followed her gaze, and then nodded, suddenly solemn. "Yes," she agreed, "it is. But he'll be alright, Lucy, don't worry."

Lucy nodded mutely. "The members of the Dark Guild," she said, "what happened to them?"

"We tied them up and left them unconscious," answered Erza. "We're planning on locking them up in their own dungeons and letting the Magic Council know where they are. Normally, we would take them back to Magnolia ourselves, but getting Natsu home is our top priority. We don't have time to deal with scum like them."

"We ran into a few of them in the dungeons," Lucy said, suddenly remembering. "Natsu charcoaled them, but-"

"We'll take care of all the mages from the guild," said Erza reassuringly, laying a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "For now, you should go to the ship with Natsu. Help Wendy take care of him."

"You're staying?" Lucy asked, and Erza nodded firmly. They had taken two Fairy Tail sea vessels with them for one reason: so one party could take Natsu home right away on one ship while a second party finished dealing with the Dark Wizards, then returned on the second ship.

"Master, Gajeel, Jet, Droy, Levy, myself, and a few others will remain here," said Erza, "but you should go with Natsu. He needs you there with him."

Lucy nodded. "You're right," she said, "I'll go. Be careful with the Dark Wizards, Erza."

"Don't worry about me," said Erza with a slightly twisted grin. "It's the Dark Wizards you should be worried about."

Lucy laughed, a little hysterically at the image of a psychotic-Erza, and hurried off after Elfman and Wendy without saying another word.

…

Wendy sat back on the balls of her feet, wiping beads of sweat off her forehead, the last of the magical glow fading from her hands. She, Natsu, and Lucy were in the lower deck of the Fairy Tail ship, Natsu resting on some blankets while Lucy and Wendy knelt by his side.

"Well, I've taken care of his leg and his head," said Wendy, slightly breathless from the amount of healing power she had used, "but he has moderate Magic Deficiency Syndrome, and there's nothing I can do about that. He'll just have to rest and let his magic power replenish."

Lucy nodded.

"I'm back with the water, Wendy!" Happy cried, soaring down the steps leading below, a bucket of sloshing water clutched in his paws. He lowered the bucket to the ground beside Wendy, and with a _pop,_ his wings vanished, and he stood beside his best friend, looking at him worriedly.

"He's okay, Happy," Wendy said with a reassuring smile, soaking a rag in the water, wringing it out, and laying it over Natsu's forehead. "The sleeping spell I put on him shouldn't last much longer, but he's really tired. Let him rest, and don't worry."

"Yeah, I know…" Happy said quietly, plunking to the ground, his ears drooping. "I don't like it when he gets hurt."

"No one does, Happy," said Lucy softly.

Wendy rose to her feet abruptly, swaying slightly. "I should go lay down for a bit," she told Lucy, stepping away from her patient and towards the stairs. "Carla's going to be mad at me for using so much healing magic…"

Lucy smiled. "You did great, Wendy," said Lucy. "I'll watch Natsu for you."

"I will, too!" said Happy with purpose, suddenly perking up.

"Thanks, you guys," said Wendy. "Let me know if his condition changes." And with one final, tired smile, Wendy headed up the steps to the upper deck of the ship, leaving Lucy and Happy to continue their silent vigil.

…

Natsu's journey into awareness was a long, painfully slow one. When he finally came to himself, his eyelids were heavy, and there was a dull ache in his leg and head. He cracked his eyes open, blinking to clear his blurry vision; the light of an oil lantern showed him the wooden walls and floors of the below decks of a ship.

A ship. Huh. He felt a little nauseated, but it wasn't as bad as his motion sickness usually was. Maybe he'd been given some sort of spell, stronger than Troia, to counter his transportation sickness?

It took him another few minutes before he remembered just what had happened. He still felt the ghosts of his shackles, binding his wrists and ankle, but the only thing left behind by them was red, abraded skin. The shackles were gone.

He was safe. His family had come for him. Not that he ever doubted they would, but being alone in the dark for so long was a lot scarier than he wished to admit.

He moistened his chapped lips and groaned, his head throbbing. Everything felt strangely...hot.

"Natsu! You're awake!"

Natsu turned his head, blinking up as Lucy's face came into view. She was sitting by his side, leaning over him, her blonde hair all over the place in disarray. Her expression was laced with concern.

"...More or less," Natsu croaked. "Where are we…?"

Lucy took the now humid rag from his forehead, re-wet it, and settled it down on his brow again. "A Fairy Tail ship," she answered, "below the decks. How do you feel?"

"...A little better," Natsu replied quietly. "My head doesn't hurt as much as it did before...and neither does my leg…"

"Wendy did a great job healing you," said Lucy. "Your wrists are still scratched up, but she was more focused on your head and your leg while she was healing you. She probably didn't even notice anything else…"

"S'fine," Natsu said. "She got the important stuff…" He looked around, suddenly realizing something. "Where's Happy?" he rasped.

"He went to get some more water," said Lucy, flicking the edge of the bucket. "This water's lukewarm now. When you get a fever, it really is no laughing matter."

Natsu shook his head with a small smile. "...I don't feel too motion sick," he said. "There a reason?"

"Oh, Wendy put you under a sleeping spell while she healed you," said Lucy. "She said it would help with your motion sickness too, at least until we get to shore. It shouldn't be long now, actually. We'll be home before you know it."

Natsu was relieved, and that was the understatement of the year. The motion sickness wasn't gone, but it was far, far milder than it usually was. He could deal with a stomach ache and a little dizziness. He made a mental note to thank Wendy big time as soon as he started feeling like his normal self again.

"But," Lucy went on, pointlessly adjusting the rag on his forehead, "you've got some Magic Deficiency Syndrome, and that isn't something Wendy can heal. You're gonna have to take it easy for a week or two."

Natsu sighed. A week or two without going on any jobs or doing anything reckless. Considering what he'd been through, this was a small price to pay. He was surprised it wouldn't take longer for him to recover.

"D-Do you need anything?" Lucy asked, and he turned his gaze back towards her. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

Natsu shook his head slightly. "It's...it's a little hot," he admitted after a moment.

"That would be your fever," Lucy said, frowning; he was still quite flushed, but the rest of his face wasn't deathly pale as it had been before, so she took it as an improvement. "It's going down some, but it's going to take time."

"Alright," Natsu said, closing his eyes. He felt Lucy remove the cloth from his head, and when she returned it, it was slightly cooler than it'd been a moment ago. He never thought he'd say it, but the cold felt nice against his burning forehead.

"You should rest," said Lucy, smoothing a few errant locks of hair out of his face. "I'll be here if you need me, okay?"

"Okay." He nodded, not bothering to open his eyes. He heard Lucy lean back against the wall of the deck with a sigh; she had been, no doubt, worried about him ever since he was kidnapped. He felt bad for worrying her, but really, there was nothing he could do.

He tried to fall asleep again - and he was very, _very_ exhausted - but for some reason, sleep didn't come. He kept imagining himself back in that lonely cell in that lonely dungeon, feeling more alone than he'd ever been in his life, unable to use magic and unable to defend himself about the Dark Wizards who'd imprisoned him, not knowing whether or not Happy made it back to Fairy Tail safely, not knowing if he'd ever see any of his precious family again…

Lucy's eyes flew open when she felt a sudden weight against her shoulder, and she turned her head in confusion, staring at the trespasser of her personal space.

"What are you doing, Natsu?" she asked, frowning; he'd somehow sat up without her knowledge and was now leaning against her, his head on her shoulder. "You should be laying down."

He opened his eyes and stared straight into hers. There was a pleading look in them that she'd never seen up until now. "Sorry," Natsu said quietly. "I just...need some physical contact right now."

She blinked once, and then it clicked, and she wrapped an arm around him and pulled him closer, resting her cheek against the top of his head. "Alright," Lucy said, and that was all. There were no words left to be spoken.

Lucy knew Natsu had been through a lot. She didn't know the extent of it, but she knew it'd been scary, even for him, and if he needed a shoulder to lean on, or even _cry_ on, she'd jinx herself before she refused him.

Besides, he'd do the same for her if their roles were reversed.

All at once, all her stress from constant worrying and nights lost to staying up trying to track down the Dark Guild caught up with her, and a wave of exhaustion swept what adrenaline remained in her veins. She sighed heavily and shut her eyes, finally able to rest peacefully.

"I'm back, Lucy!" Happy called suddenly, once again flying down the stairs and into the deck below, carrying a second bucket of fresh water.

Lucy opened her eyes and waved one hand at the flying cat, and Happy froze mid-air, watching her curiously. Wordlessly, Lucy gestured to Natsu, who hadn't woken up despite Happy's yelling, and Happy mouthed "Oooooh," while setting the bucket carefully on the floor.

Happy then soared over, landing gently on Natsu's shoulder, his wings disappearing. The cat curled up, right there, and shut his eyes in contentment. Lucy smiled, realizing the Exceed had suffered just as much worry as she.

Lucy closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, and let restful slumber pull her under.

…

"Hey, Lucy, we're here," Gray said as he climbed down the steps of the ship, half-naked as usual. "We're docking the ship now, but-"

He stopped mid-sentence and stared at the sight before him.

Lucy and Natsu were sleeping soundly, leaning against each other with looks of contentment on their faces. Lucy had her arms around Natsu, almost protectively, and Natsu looked more relaxed than Gray had ever seen him. Happy was sleeping as well, nestled on Natsu's shoulder.

Gray smiled, putting his hands on his hips. "Well, whadda you know?" he said to himself. "So Flames-For-Brains and Lucy really _have_ fallen for each other. Looks like I owe Cana five jewel…"

He crossed the lower deck, took a blanket from the floor, and carefully draped it over the sleeping Natsu, Lucy and Happy. Satisfied with that, he turned and headed silently to the upper deck of the ship.

There was no rush. Natsu, Lucy and Happy could rest while the others unloaded the ship. They'd definitely earned it.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Cheesy ending is cheesy. I think this ship makes it obvious that I ship NaLu. I ship NaLu...a LOT, okay, A LOT. But I can respect other people's ships; I shipped Natsu and Erza during the Tower of Heaven arc and Natsu and Lisanna during that one flashback episode with them, and I shipped Lucy with Loke/Loki for a little while (I've seen a lot of different spellings for Loke's name), and I also shipped Lucy and Gray for a bit, and I know all those ships are really common in the fandom.**

 **But in the end NaLu won out. I'll still always have a soft spot for those other ships I mentioned, tho. I definitely understand why shippers of those ships ship what they ship. :)**

 **Anyways, thank you all so much for all your support on this story! It means a whole lot to me! If you like what you see and want to see more like this or something similar, I'd love to hear your thoughts! I'm considering writing a Wendy and Natsu brotherly/sisterly centric multi-chap fanfic, but I ain't writin' it if no one's interested in it. :)**

 **Let me know what you think! I love you all and thank you for reading! :D**

 **Cheers!**

 **-BeyondTheClouds777**


End file.
